Do you seriously think the country wants another Bush in office? Bush might well get clobbered in the primaries.

Edit: what do you have against Hillary...or do you just want to see a race between the two of them?

No, I don't think people want a third Bush. But the candidate list is fairly uninspiring and ignoring the fact that Jeb is a Bush, he is the best they're offering, IMO, and also hits the most "electability" criteria. People will have their personal favorites of course, like Huckabee (whose consistent last-place performance in multiple past nomination races demonstrates that the GOP voters just don't like him), Christie, or Walker, but Jeb also has a fair portion of what people like about those candidates and more besides. He's very well-rounded, politically speaking.

Last night as I lay in bed, looking up at the stars, I thought, “Where the hell is my ceiling?"

No, I don't think people want a third Bush. But the candidate list is fairly uninspiring and ignoring the fact that Jeb is a Bush, he is the best they're offering, IMO, and also hits the most "electability" criteria. People will have their personal favorites of course, like Huckabee (whose consistent last-place performance in multiple past nomination races demonstrates that the GOP voters just don't like him), Christie, or Walker, but Jeb also has a fair portion of what people like about those candidates and more besides. He's very well-rounded, politically speaking.

People keep saying that the list is 'uninspiring' but honestly you have a full range of folks. Governors with executive leadership, senators with legislative experience and plenty of folks with minimal baggage as well.

I liked the part where Cruz managed to call for violating international law (confiscating passports from Americans who don't have a second nationality) and praise a dictator (el-Sisi) in consecutive sentences.

And yet he couldn't name a single serious example where the donations provided results. Incidentally, what's a better way to prove that you don't hate all women than to go after the only female moderator after the debate.

Yeah, I'm not getting how 'ooh, she attended the wedding' is some big political coup. I mean, like, even at lower levels, someone you have a professional/friendly/whatever relationship with invites you to their/the offspring's/ the pet chinchilla's wedding, you go. For some, if you have a really good excuse you can just send a gift and forget about it - but in general, you just suck up your thoughts of 'ugh, wedding' and go.

So you're agreeing with me that Trump didn't actually say what his donations bought.

Trump made it very clear what he bought with his donations, politicians. You should look back at the transcripts. It led into his tirade about how corrupt our system is. Of course his conclusion is that he can't be bought because he doesn't need the money.

Which politicians did Trump "buy" that did things for him they would have fiercely resisted doing if he hadn't given them money? What laws did he buy? Which contracts? I have no doubt giving lots of money to politicians can be beneficial to those who do so, but it is kinda dumb to pretend that that is the same as buying someone

“Humanity's greatest advances are not in its discoveries, but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity.”
— Bill Gates

Trump made it very clear what he bought with his donations, politicians. You should look back at the transcripts. It led into his tirade about how corrupt our system is. Of course his conclusion is that he can't be bought because he doesn't need the money.

Are you serious? He did nothing of the sort. He gave a stupid example of having someone attend his wedding.

BAIER: Mr. Trump, it's not just your past support for single- payer health care. You've also supported a host of other liberal policies. Use -- you've also donated to several Democratic candidates, Hillary Clinton included, Nancy Pelosi.

You explained away those donations saying you did that to get business-related favors.

And you said recently, quote, "When you give, they do whatever the hell you want them to do."

TRUMP: You'd better believe it.

BAIER: So what specifically did...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's true.

BAIER: -- they do?

TRUMP: If I ask them, if I need them, you know, most of the people on this stage I've given to, just so you understand, a lot of money.

I will tell you that our system is broken. I gave to many people, before this, before two months ago, I was a businessman. I give to everybody. When they call, I give.

And do you know what?

When I need something from them two years later, three years later, I call them, they are there for me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So what did you get?

TRUMP: And that's a broken system.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What did you get from Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi?

TRUMP: Well, I'll tell you what, with Hillary Clinton, I said be at my wedding and she came to my wedding.

You know why?

She didn't have a choice because I gave. I gave to a foundation that, frankly, that foundation is supposed to do good. I didn't know her money would be used on private jets going all over the world. It was.

He's not supported by the Republican base. Note Trump's attack against Fox News. And his unwillingness to write off an independent run. He's supported by token Republicans who actually hate the party (more so than even the Tea Partyers).

"In many cases, I probably identify more as Democrat." Direct quote from Trump. Trump is a pathetic joke and the faster reality comes crashing back down the better. This actually happens quite a bit in the early part of the the Primary season. Remember Howard Dean?